Triboelectrification Prevents the Ares I-X Rocket Launch

Triboelectrification is both a bitch to pronounce, as well as a thorn in the sides of would-be NASA astronauts. Also, triboelectrification happens to be the most recent cause of the space shuttle Ares I-X launch scrubbing.

Triboelectrification is a static discharge that is "created by the outer coating of the rocket if it flies through cloud vapor or precipitation that is colder than -10 degrees C (14 deg. F)," describes Universe Today. "This static electricity could disrupt the transmission of flight test data from the rocket, one of the main outcomes for the test."